The Sudan has, since independence, several experiences on the investment legislation on the various sectors including industrial, agricultural and economic services investment.
The first national government, following the independence, paid due concern to investment and issued industrial investment legislation in 1956 called "Granted Privilege Act". The Act was ammended in 1967. In 1973 the government issued an Act allowing investment in the economic services under the Finance Minister's supervision. In 1974, the industrial investment act was ammended and instead it was called the 'Development and Industrial Investment Encouragement Act for 1974.

The agricultural investment development act was issued in 1976. In 1993, the government issued an act allowing investment in the economic services under the finance minister's supervision. In 1974, the industrial investment Encouragement Act's for 1974.
The agricultural development act was issued in 1976 and in 1980, the various investment acts were revised and unified in one act covering all economic sectors.

When the National Salvation Revolution came to power in 1989, the first economic conference was held recommending the revision of investment encouragement act in the light of the three year recovery programme. The local investors conference was held in February 1990. The Investment Encouragement Act for 1990 was issued on May 24, 1990.
The Investment General Secretariat has become in charge with execution of investment projects in Sudan and has licensed some investment and strategic projects. It was succeeded by the Public Corporation for Investment, which was given wide powers to promote investment in the country. The investment works proceeded up to 1995 when the Council of Ministers issued the decree No. 344 confining the corporation's work on promotion, research, data collection and coordination.

In compliance with Investment Encouragement Act for 1996, the General Administration of Investment Promotion was set up to promote investment country wide, collect data, prepare research and investment studies, coordination and the follow-up of investment projects, prepare the invesment maps, offer concessions and facilities and guarantees stipulated by the Act.

The agricultural sector is characterized by the diversity of farming patterns for the mechanized and irrigated agricultural methods in addition to the animal wealth.
The Hamdab and Kajbar Dams are fundamental projects for agriculture and electricity generaion.

The industrial sector's contribution to the gross national product amounted to 16% in 1994/95. The food industry specially sugar and vegetable oil industries is regarded as significant processing industry in the Sudan.
The oil production has actually started with producing 10,000 barrels per day. In 1991 natural gas was discovered in Sawakin with production estimated at 619,000 cubic meters.

The sector is considered as a pillar for promoting other sectors. Therefore, the government has paid due concern to the rehabilitation for the railways and land transport. The government's concern is obviously represented in the implementation of Al-Tahadi and Al-Salam highways to help transport the national exports.

1. Cotton: The cotton revenues has amounted to 12.9% of the total export revenues in 1993/94 compared to 18.2% in 1993 and 51.8 in 1989/90. The main problems lying behind the cotton exports deterioration is the problems related to the national currency and that cotton is neglected during the different cultivation stages.
2. Gum Arabic: Due to the international increase in the gum arabic prices and the local production, the gum arabic exports have improved in 1993/94 reaching $72 million compared to $19.8 million.
3. Oil seeds: The exports of oil seeds and derivatives have been climbing for the last four years with an increase of 34.5%, 45.3% and 16.9% in 1991/92, 1992/93 and 1993/94 respectively. The continuous increase was due to high demand and improvement of international price.
4. Livestock and meat: The livestock and meat exports grew by 45.8% in 1991/92, 127.6% in 1992/93 and 5.4% in 1993/94.
5. Sugar: The sugar exports jumped from $1.7 million to $26.2 million in 1993/94 (1441%) while the exports increased between 1993/94 and 1995/96 by 331.6%.
6. Other exports: The other exports have fluctuated in 1992/93 about $295 million worth of exports in 1991/92 compared to $51 million in 1993/94.

The Sudan has lately signed significant commercial protocols and agreements with Kenya, Ethiopia, Jordan, Tunisia, syria, algeria, Libya, Iraq, Pakistan, Indonesia, Romania, Chad and Tanzania.

An IMF mission visited Sudan last July and reviewed the Sudan's economic performance and the government's programme for the forthcoming months.
The talks were positive. The Sudan's due arrears to the IMF is estimated at 1.7 billion US dollars while due debts to other foreign institutions amount to $15 billion. The IMF had threatened to expel the sudan because of its incapability to pay up its debts reaching $1.7 billion. The two sides signed an agreement in January 1996, providing that Sudan should pay four million US dollars per month. The negotiations between the government and the IMF, scheduled for October 1996, were progressive.
The IMF board of directors rejected a complaint by the IMF executive director suggesting presenting a recommendation imposing compulsory withdrawal on the Sudan to the next meeting of the IMF Council of Governors scheduled for Washington next October. but the IMF's standing along with the Sudan came folowing the visit paid by its mission to Sudan which reflected the financial performance and the Sudan's commitment to pay montly installments.

Another decision was taken by the IMF board of directors reconsidering the restoration of the Sudan's relations with the World Bank in February 1997, when an IMF mission was expected here last October to discuss with officials the payment programme for 1997.